Levulinic acid, or 4-oxopentanoic acid, is an organic compound with the formula CH3C(O)CH2CH2CO2H. It is a keto acid. Levulinic acid is typically prepared chemically, for example, by heating sucrose with concentrated hydrochloric acid. The process proceeds via the intermediacy of glucose, which is isomerized to fructose and then hydroxymethylfurfural.
Levulinic acid is a potential precursor to nylon-like polymers, synthetic rubbers, and plastics. Levulinic acid is a versatile synthetic intermediate, e.g., in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, and is a precursor in the industrial production of other chemical commodities such as methyltetrahydrofuran, valerolactone, and ethyl levulinate.